Seattle Mariners pitcher Andres Munoz (75) celebrates after getting the final out during the ninth inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images” />
In a game that didn’t follow the typical formula for a Seattle Mariners victory, the bullpen rose to the occasion despite missing two key leverage arms. Three runs of offense and five innings from starter George Kirby were enough to secure a 3-1 win against the Houston Astros in the series opener.
The early innings were a mix of frustration and fortune for the Mariners. Hard-hit balls found gloves initially, until Randy Arozarena dropped in a soft 87 mph single in the second inning. Astros starter Peter Lambert struggled with his command after that, walking Luke Raley and falling behind J.P. Crawford before he lined out. Dominic Canzone then smoked a 104.7 mph line drive that Astros left fielder Zach Cole mishandled, allowing Arozarena to score. Cole Young followed with an RBI single off a first-pitch fastball, giving Seattle a 2-0 lead.
Julio Rodríguez extended the lead in the third inning with a towering 414-foot home run, a blast that seemed destined to travel even further. Seattle’s offense went quiet after that, making the game tighter than necessary.
George Kirby turned in a solid but imperfect start. He struck out seven through his first four innings but also worked around traffic, pushing his pitch count to 81 in that span. Kirby struggled with first-pitch strikes early, throwing just seven of 17 in the first four frames, but rebounded in the fifth. That inning brought bad luck and porous infield defense, as José Altuve singled on a first-pitch sweeper, Yordan Álvarez followed with a single, and Isaac Paredes drove in a run with an RBI single. Kirby escaped without further damage but his pitch count forced manager Dan Wilson to go to the bullpen earlier than ideal.
The bullpen took over from there. Nick Davila delivered a scoreless sixth inning, and Cooper Criswell faced the top of the Astros lineup in the seventh. Helped by a diving play from Brendan Donovan at third, Criswell struck out Yordan Álvarez on a slider that landed in the middle of the zone. Bazardo then worked around a leadoff walk in the eighth, striking out three batters with a mix of pitches that left Astros hitters baffled.
In the ninth, Andrés Muñoz preserved the slim lead, allowing a single to Altuve but then overpowering Álvarez with a changeup, striking him out after hitting 101.3 mph on a previous pitch. The bullpen’s performance was a testament to depth and resilience, especially after a disappointing weekend in Chicago.
The Mariners offense failed to add insurance runs after the third, but the pitching staff made the lead stand. The team looks ahead to Bryan Woo’s start tomorrow, hoping for more offensive support for both the starter and the hard-working bullpen.